Sen. Latz Week in Review: Vulnerable Adult Bill Signed Into Law

[The following news release comes from the office of Sen. Ron Latz (DFL-District 44)]

 

During this week we spent Monday through Friday on the Senate floor working through bills on General Orders, a few conference committee reports and a few omnibus bills. During the week I had one bill pass the Senate floor. The bill (S.F. 1657), brought to me by City of Hopkins prosecutor Jason Hutchison, allows prosecutors to use female genital mutilation to enhance criminal penalties in a domestic assault. I am also happy to report that Friday the Senate passed the Omnibus Liquor bill that included both provisions in it that Four Firkins owner, Jason Alvey, brought to Rep. Steve Simon and me. 

The highlight of my week was the Governor signing the vulnerable adult bill into law. This bill allows prosecutors to charge a person with a felony who knowingly causes substantial harm to a senior. It is a bill that has been in the works for over a decade and that I played a significant part in shaping this session. I received a letter of thanks from Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman for my work on the bill. While Sen. Warren Limmer was the chief author of the bill that was finally signed, the main provisions in the bill reflected the vulnerable adult bill that I introduced this year (S.F. 1658).  Many thanks also go to Iris Freeman, Associate Director at the Center for Elder Justice & Policy at William Mitchell College of Law, who worked for over a decade to get this accomplished as well as the work of the Hennepin County Attorney’s office, the Care Providers network and all those who worked behind the scenes to make this happen.

During the week I had the pleasure to meet with constituents from Partnership Resources as well as large groups of students from St. Louis Park High School and Meadowbrook Elementary. It is still unclear if session will be wrapping up in the next few weeks or not. Constitutionally, we are required to adjourn on May 21^st, but throughout session we have heard that there will be an early adjournment; that waits to be seen.

Please continue to e-mail, write or phone me regarding your issues and concerns.